Shadows on the Horizon
by Inverse of Disaster
Summary: No one can be completely prepared for the shadows on the horizon. Whether you choose to dash into them, or whether you choose to look into them and think before you proceed, they're still unknown. Mainly Clingyshipping, other ships may appear as well.
1. Phase 00: Start of a New Adventure

**Shadows on the Horizon**

In the end, the journey might be more important than the destination, but there are always those pesky shadows on the horizon, lying in wake for our inner turmoils...

* * *

_Phase 00 - Start of a New Adventure!_

Shinou. A land, located roughly somewhat north of Kanto, that most people would describe as a mysterious land with vast, rolling praries and a mountain halving the land and carving its way through the terrain. While the land of Shinou was temperate, at times it would have its cold weather, and henceforth, there were less popular tourist spots than a land such as Kanto or Houen. Shinou would be more of a place for old, married couples to settle down after all of their kids had left the house more than anything else. But, even in Shinou, Pokemon trainers started their journies-to be the best, but also to try and find their roles in life via their journey.

But, to the boy with sandy blond hair, there was a dream that shone through his eyes. He wanted to be the best, and he wanted to get to the top-as fast as he could. He never really stopped to enjoy any of his daily activities-some people disapproved of that, and thought that he would just run through life with no destination, only to crash and fall hard on his knees. However, he just ignored these people-he'd show them what a difference he could make, and how quickly he could do it, as well-hell, he wanted to rise to fame as a famous Pokemon trainer, and that's what mattered to him!

The girl with the amazingly-dyed vibrantly blue hair was a social butterfly, and your typical girly-girl. To her, her adventure with Pokemon seemed like it was going to be more of a party. While she was aiming to be the best Pokemon Coordinator, she actually hated the land of Sinnoh. She'd cursed herself for being born in a town as dull as Futaba, and she just wanted to be able to goof off and run wild with her friends.

It wasn't that she didn't have passion, however. She wanted to do all she could to be a Pokemon Coordinator, though she actually wasn't as firm on her dream as she might've liked-hell, her roots in being a Coordinator stemmed from her mother's presence and unusual talent. Her mother had a history of winning the most contests consecutively in the land of Shinou- but then her career was shattered, due to her sudden love affair with a mysterious man, leaving her with a child and ending her dreams of worldwide fame.

And the blue-haired girl was the same child who shattered her mother's career, so she felt a certain sense of responsibility, to say the very least...

Shinou was a mysterious land, however. Despite its general appearance as yet another landmass unusually devoid of tourist attractions, it held, if anything, even more interesting legends to unfold. whether it was unusually cold weather, perhaps caused by a shift in attention of a certain legendary Pokemon, or mysterious happenings throughout the land that signified that perhaps evil forces were at stake, all of this was interesting to the boy with the red beret, who was, for the moment, aimless. He didn't really know what he wanted to do with his life, but, with the mysterious happenings in the news, along with a rather unsettling dream-that the boy could have sworn was produced through unnatural means, he was hoisted into the role of being a Pokemon trainer, albeit, he wasn't quite sure why he'd been chosen for this role.

Each of the three children weren't particularly close with one another before starting their travels. However, these children, though they weren't capable of seeing it yet, needed each other to survive and to thrive on their journeys.

Their journies would begin....very soon in the future.


	2. Phase 01: Oops!

_Phase 01: Oops..._

* * *

Jun was, to be defined simply, a very hectic young boy. So hectic, that, in fact, when around him at any given time, it would be almost certain that an accident relating to being overly hasty would occur. Most of the time, said accidents would only cause a minor inconvenience to anyone involved. Yet, sometimes, the accidents would make a major impact on his life, whether for good or for bad. 

...WHAM. The sandy-haired boy, running with his ever-present haste, hadn't even noticed that, opposite him, was a calm, reserved boy, wearing his ever-present beret. The collision caused the two to fall softly to the dirt, though Jun had recieved slightly more damage than the other.

"...Honestly, Jun, watch where you're going. One of these days you're going to run right off a cliff," remarked the boy, who then scoffed slightly, straightening his beret, and carefully standing back up again.

The sandy-haired boy, with a definite pinkish tinge to his cheeks, then remarked, "Where are these cliffs anyways? Kouki, You've always been saying, all the time, ever since we were little kids, that I'm gonna run off a cliff! Well, that's never gonna happen, and you know why? Because I'm gonna be the best! I'm going to be the best trainer in all of Shinou! Everyone'll look up to me! I won't let something as stupid as a cliff stop me!"

Kouki then let out a simple, "...Heh." and began to walk away. Jun soon followed, going at his haphazardly fast speed. However, neither of them would be able to get very far, as...they had been followed.

"HEY!! Wait, you two! WHEERE ARE YOU GOOOOOING?" soon resounded from the forested area the two boys had just embarked from. Too soon after they had begun to walk again, to go back to their separate, winding trails, they had been stopped. A very zealous blunette came bounding up to them, clearly happy to see them both. The girl then smiles, yet, from the reflection, they can easily guess her ulterior motive.

The girl then continues, "Yay! Guess what I have? Come on, you two, guess! It's obvious!" Then, without even stopping to consider whether either of the two boys now inches away from her had any sort of response, she pulled a lumpy bundle out of the bag that she had been carrying.

The two opposite the blunette, while normally having quite different thoughts, for once in a while, shared the same thought, which was something akin to _"...Oh my god, what the heck is she going to do or give to us now?"_

And, of course, both knowing their childhood friend well, they weren't quite surprised when she opened the package, producing two scarves. One was a light color akin to that of freshly-planted seedlings of grass just beginning to sprout, while the other was a vivid scarlet red. Both seemed akin to the style of the rose-colored scarf being sported on the girl's neck. The blunette then said, "I made you two both pretty scarves! Now, how do you like them? They match my scarf, you know!"

...Both boys were stuck for a response. The awkwardness was clearly hanging over their heads; in fact, it was so thick, if one tried, it probably couldn't have even been cut by a knife. Then, finally, Kouki chooses to speak up.

"...I know you probably spent a lot of time on this, and all, but is this honestly what you were doing when you were supposed to be completing that field research for Professor Rowan? Honestly, Hikari. I'm starting to wonder whether I made the right choice, letting you take over my old job," uttered the boy in a slightly reproachful tone, though clearly not overly upset in any way. Hikari then panicked, as though she was being yelled at.

The sandy-haired boy then took the scarf, wrapping it around his neck. He then says, "Hmm. I'm sure I look stunning, but I don't quite have the time to look in a mirror, now do I? Nope, I gotta go, and I'm sure we all do, too! We need to go, go, go, otherwise we're not gonna make it in time!"

He then prepares to run away again. However, before he can run entirely, Kouki and Hikari both pull on his scarf, nearly strangling the lightweight boy, and slowly drag him back, not minding the fact that his face was turning a quite healthy shade of blue. Hikari has an evil look on her face, as though demanding something from Pearl.

Jun then reacts, "OWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWWWWWWW! Don't DO that, you guys! It really hurts! Really! Okay, I'm sorry! I look like an idiot in this scarf, and you two'll look much better than meee! OWWWWWW!", eventually giving way and nearly passing out from lack of air, which is conveniently when Kouki and Hikari relinquish their grip on the scarf.

Still regaining his composure from his near-smothering, Jun reared up and remarked, "Now honestly! What on earth was that for? I've got places to be...I have to go now..."

He then tried to leave again, when he could feel Kouki placing his hand, though with much less force, gently on the scarf. Jun then stops, blushes slightly, and says, "...Okay...what IS it, anyways?"

Hikari, perhaps feeling ignored in the situation, then angrily reared up and said, "IT'S A LOT OF THINGS! WHY DIDN'T YOU THANK ME FOR THE SCARF? Why didn't you even look at how the scarf looked on Kouki, hmm? Why didn't you say anything? Why are you always in such a hurry? Going at that speed isn't gonna land you anywhere in life! You always go so fast and forget all the important things!"

The boy then sighed, and then said, "Okay, fine. The scarf looks LOVELY. It's wonderful. I'll treasure it forever, not that I appreciate being strangled with it. And, Kouki, let's see how yours looks. Make it snappy, please, I don't have that long for all of this."

Kouki, exasperated at his friend's hastiness, then slowly, perhaps purposefully, placed the scarf on the back of his neck, then looping the fabric twice, so it wouldn't fall. He then says, in a rather mocking tone, "I'd look in a mirror, but I'm quite sure I look too darn good to, anyways."

With a slight blush on his cheeks made apparent yet again, Jun rushes off, into the shadows, perhaps to get ready for the big adventure being held the following day.

The two then sigh at the erratic behavior of their childhood friend, as though it was their fault that he was always rushing around, causing problems, missing certain objects and events. They then say their farewells and walk away, each on their own separate path...

But not for long.

End of Phase 01

* * *

:: Author's Note ::

Yay, I'm done with Phase 01! Reviews are good, too. I like those. A lot.


	3. Phase 02: Panic in Lake Verity

:: Author's Note ::

Welcome to Phase 02 of this fanfic! So you all know, this fanfic loosely follows the storyline of Diamond and Pearl.

And this chapter is...abnormally long. I don't think I've ever written such a long chapter of a fanfic before, to be honest. Sorry if it gets a bit...ramble-ish in places. I try. D:

...I just realized that I've edited this like, four or five times already. It's been down even for a bit. Sorry for the inconvenience!

once again, R&Rs, even criticism, are not only welcome, but encouraged. Here we go!

* * *

Phase 02: Panic in Lake Verity

* * *

Today was the day. No, it wasn't just any old day, especially not in the eyes of this silly, hasty, sandy-haired boy. No, today was the day that his life would change. Whether for the better, or for the worse, remained to be seen...of course, not even he knew quite how much his life would change, starting just on this day. His eyes opened slowly, quite slowly compared to how he would normally spring up in the morning and run outside, often forgetting things such as to shower, to brush his teeth, to put on clean underwear...but, of course, today was not the case. 

In less than twenty minutes, he was outside, sporting his characteristic wide-striped shirt along with his charcoal-black pants. However, for a change, he was also sporting his brand-new lime green scarf...while a traveler or two would not have noticed, several people around the rural area of Twinleaf Town, such as those who just so happened to be going about their daily business, stole a glance or two to the side, to confirm what they had been seeing. Yet, to the hasty boy, rushing quickly over to his destination, they remained unnoticed.

He then reached his destination, the house that just so happened to be directly across from his, and knocked on the door repeatedly, in a near barrage of fists. While tourists would be giving him a strange look, to the townspeople, this seemed to be an event frequent enough to not even warrant the raising of an eyebrow. This was soon coupled with the frequent shouting of "KOUUKIIIII!! WAAKE UUUP!" from the boy.

Soon, however, the door opened, making poor Jun fall face-forward, due to the fact he had been leaning into the door – falling right into poor Kouki! The raven-haired boy, still dressed in his pajamas, then twitched, and slowly muttered the words, "...coffee...need...coffee. Coffee good...neeed...coff...ee...", slowly trailing off at the end, and then collapsing backward, unintentionally pulling Jun with him.

Jun then did a double-take, and backed off, getting up much faster than even normal, despite the fact that he would probably just fall again, and says, "I-I'll run off and get coffee!" Kouki merely turns and grunts, evidently still in a sleeplike trance, though for a split-second, one could recognize a small smirk, as if that had been intended. Several minutes later, the sandy-haired boy was seen rushing back to Kouki, holding a Styrofoam cup, each cloaked with a small cardboard paper, and handing one to the boy.

Kouki then started, "Uh, thanks...", but was then interrupted, as he was being dragged-off by the sandy-haired boy. Jun then gripped his arm even tighter and began to run faster. However, before he could go far, his scarf was once again gripped, pulling the poor hasty boy into yet another comedic neon-green stranglehold.

Kouki then spoke up, "I believe that you _forgot_ something, Jun?", and, gave the sandy-haired boy a look that made him realize exactly what his mistake was. Kouki then sighed, and continued, "Honestly, Jun, one of these days...", and then, once again, loosens his stranglehold on the boy and walks back into his house, presumably to finish his coffee, and of course to get dressed, as he was still wearing his pajamas.

A red tinge then could obviously be seen from Jun's cheeks, though this was quickly concealed and remained unseen. The sandy-haired boy then paced impatiently, clearly waiting for Kouki, while taking periodical sips from his cup of coffee. After several minutes, or, what, to the hasty young boy, felt like over two hours, the dark-haired boy emerged yet again, sporting his normal clothes, along with his beret...and also, once again, the scarf that he had previously received.

Jun then grabs Kouki's arm and drags him, at full-speed, away from his rooting in the ground and says, "Kouki, Kouki! Remember what today is? You can't have forgotten, could you have? I mean, I know I have the best memory so you might not remember, but I don't see how you could've forgotten, 'cause you love this researchy stuff! Don't you remember?".

Kouki then sighed at his best friend's superiority complex, and replied, "...I was the one who told you about the whole thing...honestly, why would I forget about this? We might be able to gain some valuable research today, especially if we see the Red Gyarados! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I might never see something like this again! I can't wait!"

Jun then stopped, grinned, and then said, "Well, then, race you to Lake Verity!", running off, and allowing Kouki to try and catch up. The two boys then took off, running full-speed ahead. Neither of them really seemed to care as their shoes gently detached themselves from their feet and lay forlorn in the grass behind them, nor that Kouki's trademark beret had also been left behind, it was merely a race between two friends, though it was doubtful whether either boy honestly cared who was victorious over the other. However, at that point, victory had become obvious for the sandy-haired boy, who positively beamed in delight.

Jun then spoke up, "I won, I won! Yay! Go me!", and then does a small little victory dance of his own. However, Kouki merely ignores him, perhaps scoffing a bit at the blond boy's childishness, and then goes closer to the lake, to try and examine the lake's waters, while mostly clear, a little better, in hopes, of course, of spotting the red Gyarados and obtaining important research. However, he went just a little further...

The raven-haired boy then kneeled down, not even noticing whatsoever that behind him, two shadows were picking up, and starting to descend slowly upon him. He continued with his enraptured examination of the water, slowly searching for the elusive Red Gyarados, yet he hadn't even noticed...

Jun then screamed, "KOUKI!!" and pushed him to the side of the lake...had there been a side of the lake. Instead, Kouki, along with Jun, toppled into the lake itself, falling in, and most likely causing whatever extremely-rare pokemon that lurked within to hide deep within the water's depths. The two boys then surfaced, and, both turned to face a fate that was far worse than a bunch of wet, cold clothes – two angry pokemon and no pokemon that they could use to defend themselves with.

Kouki then grabs Jun's hand, and hoists both of them out of the water, while saying, "...Don't worry, we're both going to be okay...just so long as we leave...slowly..." and slowly began to exit, tiptoeing so that the two wild pokemon, twin Starlys, would not follow them, but to no avail. The birds merely circled around the boys, and then dove for the two boys...

...but, not before they had both discovered a bag, with two pokeballs lying precariously close to the outside. Freeing their grasp on each other's hands, they grabbed the pokeballs and threw them, hoping to at least fend themselves off for long enough to run away, not even knowing if they were empty or whether they would call forth pokemon that were ready to fight.

Perhaps it was the fact that both of them were scared for their life, or perhaps it was the fact that, in the world of Shinou, anomalies such as this were often prevented by the force of nature. Of course, maybe it was incredible luck on the part of the terrified boys. Either way, both were relieved as the pokeballs opened, revealing something akin to a penguin and something that was somewhat similar to a baby monkey in its place, respectively.

Jun then turned to Kouki and said, "But...but...I've never battled before! I don't know if it'll listen to me, or what attacks to use! W-w-what do I do?", however, in a calming effect, Kouki then clasped Jun's hand and held it, so as to let the nerve-wracked boy know that they would both be okay, and that they would be able to overcome the obstacle and come out of it just fine.

Shaking, Jun then said, "...this is...Piplup, right? Piplup! Use Pound!" Kouki then, as though in sync with the shaky boy, wordlessly commanded his pokemon, a Chimchar, to also attack. Both the Pokemon immediately leaped into action, tackling and scratching the slightly lankier Starly on command, and causing it to fall to the ground, temporarily lifeless. Then, the Starly attacked, pecking the Piplup. While it did a substantial amount of damage, Piplup merely shook it off, ready to go again.

Kouki then smiled, and said, "See? I told you we'd be alright. Now, Chimchar, finish it off!", and then commands his Pokemon to attack, in which Jun quickly follows suit. The other wild Starly then falls to the ground, much in the same fashion that its counterpart had. The two boys then sigh in relief, both glad that they had gotten out of the attack safely, when Jun then realized they were still holding hands, and suddenly tugged his hand away, furiously blushing.

The two then recall their respective pokemon. After a while of Jun staring into the water and blushing, and a while more of Kouki pretending to ignore this sight while, to an extent, secretly enjoying it, then passes. After a while, Kouki looks up, and says, "...well, even if the Red Gyarados was here, it's probably gone by now...", and sighs, somewhat upset that he was unable to get his research data.

Jun then stood up and said, "We had much more to worry about! One of us could've been hurt...or, even worse...killed...and I wouldn't want that to happen...not...to either of us anyways...". He then trails off, and then looks confused, and finally takes the moment to wonder aloud, "...wait a second...whose pokemon are these, anyways? I don't really have the time to be giving back lost items, but...they _did_ save our lives..."

Kouki then takes it upon himself to grab the bag, and, while this was not one of the boy's normal habits, to delve inside. While the typical leathery smell of the bag that would normally make most turn away did not faze the boy, what he saw gave him a slight shock.

"...this is...Professor Rowan's!" The boy's memories then flooded of his earlier childhood days, embarking upon the slow, yet steady training and education, which would later help to build theories and research. Much of Kouki's life had been devoted to his studies, and, hence, much of his life involved Professor Rowan...

So, why was it that he had ever left? Why, on that fateful day, approximately three months prior, had he decided to leave, allowing Hikari to succeed him? Had it been a clash in theories? Had the two gotten into a simple argument? Or, was it merely what Kouki seemed to assert to everyone, that he merely intended to do some research on his own? Or, was there yet another reason to this enigmatic departure?

The question certainly boggled the minds of almost all of those who had ever known either of the two, and Jun was certainly no exception. He then said, "...Hey, Kouki, whatever-", but, was cut off, as Kouki had stood on his own, and began to walk back, interrupting the blond boy with a mere, "...We should go to Sandgem..."

Kouki then began to walk off into the distance, implying for Jun to follow after him. Jun then silences himself, though curious to know what really happened, and obeys the unspoken command. The two then find their abandoned shoes, along with Kouki's hat, on the gentle walk back, and they are welcomed back into their proper places rather than left at the side of the road, to be forgotten.

After a bit of walking, however, Jun starts to twitch slightly, as though the mere calm walk was actually hurting him in some way, and then finally remarks, "Kouki! Can't you go _any_ faster? You're about as slow as a mule sometimes, you know." However, upon hearing this, the generally stoic boy ignores Jun, and, then, perhaps to torture the young teenager, walks even slower, and remarks, "...It's not like it's a long walk to Sandgem anyways..."

After minutes of more griping, and even an insult or two thrown at Kouki, the two boys finally arrive in the town of Sandgem, which, while a bit more lively, still wasn't much more in tune with current events than the boys' hometown. Jun then drags Kouki by the arm and says, "I can't wait any longer! I'm just going to drag you with me until you move faster! Rowan's lab is over there, right?" He then pointed directly at...well, Rowan's lab.

Kouki then gave a nod, and allowed himself to be dragged by Jun without so much as a negative comment, as he was too deeply involved in a thought to care. Jun then smiled and trotted to the lab, with the sack in one arm and Kouki's arm in the other. The two then both nearly entered the lab, when Professor Rowan himself stepped out, his presence, at least for Jun, a little bit more than slightly overbearing, and then said, "Why, hello, you two! It's nice of you to drop by! Hikari's gone home for the day, you just missed her! So, what can I do for you?" The two boys, along with Rowan, then entered the Laboratory.

Jun then, to get right to the point, and perhaps to give Kouki some time to gripe upon how early Hikari would leave at times, then said, "Er, Professor...we found these pokemon, and they were yours, but then some pokemon attacked us, and we had to fight with them...we're alright, but, these are your Pokemon. You must have left them with the two of us...".

Rowan then extracted both of the pokeballs from the bag, examined them both for about five seconds each, and then, after a while more of studying them, finally remarked, "...Hmm...I'd say that these pokemon are already quite attached to you two! You can keep them; I'm sure they'd be much better off in your hands than mine, they'd get more fresh air, more food, more chances to battle..."

The two trainers then both thanked the professor profusely, both extremely glad that they were able to keep the pokemon. Though, at that point, neither of the two knew quite what receiving these monsters meant, that it would be a great change in the lives of both of them. It was at that point that Jun's attention seemed to be fully intent on leaving, as the sandy-haired boy was clearly uncomfortable around the man.

Professor Rowan then stopped and said, with a scary, yet, oddly caring caring demeanor, as was typical of him, "Well, well! Is there anything else that either of you needed to talk to me about?" Kouki then started for a second, and then sighed. Rowan then continued, "...You know, it's a pity, I didn't see the Red Gyarados that I've heard so much about...that was just when I left the pokemon at the lake."

Kouki then speaks up, "...It was probably just a rumor. Had a Red Gyarados really appeared to either of us, I...don't know...something might've happened...well, in the end, I'll eventually get to see it...won't I? It's a rare sight, but, it's still possible, I suppose..." Kouki then stopped, at that point. He was unable to deal anymore at that point with Jun's constant flicking of his pen, perhaps out of boredom, and then sighed. He then muttered, "..._going_ somewhere, Jun?"

Jun then says, "Well, we were okay and that Gyarados didn't appear, right? If you wanna see that Gyarados again, maybe you should train up a bit so you can stand up to it." The boy then stops, grins, and continues, "...If you can stand up to me, that is."

Jun then rushed off, and, once again, Kouki sighed. Kouki then muttered, "...He's always running around. Everywhere. We're such good friends, and we've been since childhood. But, still, I know...well, hardly anything about him, other than the fact that he's an overly-rushed freak! He holds such high ideals for himself, but, with the way he does things, he's never going to get anywhere...he's really forgetful..."

Rowan then smiled, in his own creepy way, and then replied, "That boy certainly has a sense of...oh, how shall I put it..._boldness_ about him. Wouldn't you agree?"

Kouki then retorted, "Well, he's always running into everyone! He's so irresponsible! He thinks that he can not only coast through life, but that he can do that from the top, too!" Kouki then sighed, his head in a mess of feelings, though not nearly as befuddled and confused as they had been on that fateful day.

Indeed...Kouki's feelings had, particularly, within the last year, gone through a certain amount of change, whether it be more arguments caused with his parents, a pinch of angst that was certainly absent before, or..._or_...

Kouki shook his head, then, to try and block that particular thought out of his mind. Luckily, Rowan spoke up again, "...Yes, but I can tell. You'll both go far. Or rather, that, all three of you, including Hikari, will..." The professor then stands up, and looks out the window.

"...It's getting quite late again, Kouki. You should probably go home too, it can be quite a walk from here back to Twinleaf Town, and your parents might be worried if you were to stay much longer,", Rowan then opened the door, allowing Kouki gently through.

Kouki then sighed, and said, "Oh, see you, then..." and walked out the door, headed back to Twinleaf. Tonight...he needed to sort out his thoughts.


	4. Phase 03: Gentle Rationalization

Phase 03: Gentle Rationalization

* * *

The sun was slowly setting in the sky, gently revealing twilight, when, finally, the raven-haired boy arrived home. Back to his humble abode of Twinleaf Town...which, other than the rustic area, wasn't always the most entertaining place for many, as, not only was it inconvenient when it came to buying just about anything, it also seemed to be in a lack of legends surrounding the area, of any enigma to explore, especially when compared with the rest of Shinou. 

The boy sighed, trudging gently inside his house. Gently removing his shoes at the doorstep, a habit which the boy never forgot, he merely trudged up to his room, without even bothering to greet his mother. It had been a long day for him, and, while the elder woman would normally know to go up and talk to her son, her better intuition told her that he just wanted to be alone at the moment.

Kouki then closed his door, flipped his cap off into some unknown corner of the room, where it would later be scavenged from, and plopped onto his bed. Right now, even more so than normally, his thoughts were a befuddled mess. What was it that he truly wanted in his life? While the boy himself had claimed that he wanted to do some more research on his own, and that he wanted to better himself so that he could gradually gain intellect by his own measures? Or was this just simply just his inner self trying to distance him from those that mattered to him, and those that were authority figures?

This was, of course, another point in which the boy was confused. He wasn't even sure who he truly saw as his family anymore, and who he felt he was able to really trust. His mind was a puddle, filled with dark, mossy spots some would rather not venture in, but, for the most part, was as clean as a whistle. Who was it that he cared about the most? Certainly, he cared about everyone, so long as they returned the care, even including Jun and Hikari, who were often annoying him at every chance they possibly could.

Yes, Kouki's...issues surrounding Jun were indeed where a substantial part of the raven-haired boy's anxiety originated. If only things hadn't changed...well, had they changed, or hadn't they? Was this all just a twisted labyrinth of Kouki's own muddle of thoughts and feelings? Why...why had things gotten like this? When he was a child...things were different. He could be around the other boy without that accursed ecstasy that seemed to haunt all of his thoughts and even cross over into his body...things were...different.

What had caused everything to feel so...different? Kouki buried his face underneath his pillow and sighed, as this would probably be yet another sleepless night.

Meanwhile...

A young blond-haired boy was also scurrying about in his room, haphazardly stuffing objects that seemed to be of little importance into a manageable sack. After throwing some more random objects in, to fill the sides, he sighs, and then says, to absolutely no one in particular, "...Well, it begins tomorrow..."

The boy had chosen to go on a journey, to explore all the important areas of the earth about as fast as he possibly could, just so that he could get to the top, and so that he could then...well, he hadn't had the time to think of what he would do once he was the League Champion. Ever since he was young, this was the boy's goal. While stereotypical, as just about every other young boy was also vying for this goal, he had a feeling, coming from some unknown location in his brain, that he just might be able to pull it off.

The boy had very few true obstacles in his way, at least in his own vision. He felt he had the power, he felt he had the grace, the charm, and he did care for his pokemon. That, at least, he would be sure to make time for. The boy had already brushed his Piplup, and he was already starting to feel a connection with it, akin to the connection that most dedicated, hardworking trainers would feel.

So, what were the boy's obstacles? What stood in the boy's way? While he did consider the Elite Four a formidable opponent, that had been nothing, in his eyes, comparable to the raven-haired boy next door. Jun wasn't quite sure why at all this was so, as all Kouki's dreams seemed to revolve around was obtaining more research, but, for whatever reason, he had come to regard the boy in a different light, one that he couldn't really describe to anyone, for fear of getting laughed at, or worse, Kouki himself catching wind of it...

Jun had tried to deny it. Day after day, he would continuously remind himself of what was truly important in his life, catching pokemon, getting stronger, and preparing himself for the day where he would finally be at the pinnacle of his life, the day in which he would become the Champion...yet, he had a feeling that, even if this was possible, that it would eventually be usurped, usurped by a certain dark-haired boy...

Jun then leaned forward, to get off of his bed. However, he did not realize that he had left his scarf on, and that, somehow, it had become cleverly entangled with his bedpost, until it pulled sharply around his neck, capturing the boy in a stranglehold. The boy choked for several seconds, before he was able to worm his way out of there and free his scarf from the grip of the bedpost...or, was it the other way around?

He then uttered, "Okay, I'd better hurry and go brush my teeth!" and ran off, presumably to the bathroom. This was how the boy functioned, always rushing to get everything done, and, in the end, missing some of the more important happenings...

Kouki then sighed, back in his room. When alone, and when his mind wasn't constantly pervaded with the thoughts of research, his mind would often turn to...thoughts of the blond-haired boy. It seemed as though this boy, in his mind, this annoying, utterly hopeless, clueless, yet, absolutely adorable...wait, where did that last thought come from? Kouki then hit his head repeatedly on his bedframe, to try and rid the utterly ridiculous thought from his head. This wasn't how best friends _ever_ were supposed to think of each other! He needed a distraction...and, a good one.

The boy then smirked, and looked at his pokeball. Just then, he thought of an idea...not only would it allow him to have a new focus on his thoughts, it would also still allow him to do much research of his own. And, he was finally old enough, and he finally had the capability to do so...Somewhere in the back of his mind, the decision was made. He looked at the pokeball, then smiled, his focus gently fading as he fell asleep.

The boy would embark on his own quest in Shinou...starting tomorrow.

* * *

:: Author's Note :: 

_To ice creams: thank you! This pairing needs more love._

Okay, how was that? Is it getting better? Worse? Please read and review! I'd love more reviews, I really wanna see what the general reaction to this is!

...and sorry that Hikari's been completely gone for the past two chapters! I really intend for her to be a character of importance, I really do intend to bring her back, I really do! She'll _probably_ be in the next one, and if you don't see her for another two, feel free to shoot me.


	5. Phase 04: Fading Illusion

Phase 04: Fading Illusion

* * *

Somewhere in Twinleaf Town, a small village buried deep within the region of Shinou...a ten-year-old boy awakes to a meal. Of course, the same thing happens in many houses of many towns in regions all over the world. Of course, it's not every day that it's the son's last meal with the family, and, as a result, instead of merely exchanging stories of the previous day's happenings, the family, albeit only a mother and a younger sister, are continually wishing well for the eldest son.

Kouki had told his mother what his plans were directly after waking...though, for the boy, it had been a very shaky night of sleep, continually haunted by thoughts of three spirited...almost..._catlike_ creatures, floating around two indescribable beasts, of a sort. Everything else...that could almost ever be considered important to the boy...was trapped, somehow _imprisoned_, within an impenetrable shadowy figure, almost as though it was a void of sorts, that, unless he did something...would vanish...and be forever gone.

As the dark-haired boy exits, his mother then interrupts him, and says, "Kouki, before you leave, could you come here for a moment?" Kouki obliges, as this would be his last time at this house in a long while, and, his mother continues, "Kouki, this is going to be a long journey. Your father went on this journey, and, you'll probably run into a lot of the same things that he did. You'll learn a lot of things about people, and probably even more about yourself...Just, promise me, that you'll come back safe."

Kouki thought for a split second. He thought of the premonition that had haunted him the previous night, of his family, his friends...and, of the blond-haired boy that seemed to slink so easily to the top of his mind. He then donned his trademark red beret, smiled, and said, "Don't worry, Mom. I promise you that I'll come back fine."

His mother, while not entirely convinced, knew that there was no stopping her son. She then pulled out a parcel from the cabinet, handed it to Kouki, and said, with a slight quiver of sadness in her voice, "Here...I bought you a pair of running shoes. That way, you won't get blisters while on your adventures...", although it was quite hard to explain how she had been able to, within the timeframe of about two hours, go out and buy fitting shoes for her son, return, cook breakfast, and eat it, while of course tending to the other household chores, and not even be noticed as being missing. It was merely a mother's way of functioning.

Kouki then took the box and opened it. Inside was a pair of brand-new shoes that seemed to be just the right size for Kouki's rather small feet. Kouki then removed his old, dingy shoes, and replaced them with the brand-new shoes. Kouki then took a step, put some pressure on one of the brand-new rubbery heels of the shoes, and smiled, as though he knew that the shoes, while they would soon look dingy, be faithful in serving him regardless of where he walked. He then smiled, and said, "Thanks, Mother...I'll see you and Little Sis later, okay? And I'll call, I promise!" With that, the boy ran off into the wilderness, his family not sure if they would ever see him again.

In the corner of his eye...the boy could see, in the house next to him, another boy, also leaving his house. He could have sworn he saw similar sneakers on the boy...but, regardless, this was not about the sneakers that the blond boy was wearing. Kouki then attempted to run up to the boy, but, before he could, the boy had sped up, and made it literally impossible for the raven-haired boy to catch up. Kouki could have sworn he also saw a tinge of red on the slender boy's cheeks, though he must have just been imagining it.

He then set off on the road at his own pace. Surrounding him were sights such as smiling Bidoofs, scurrying about, and a Starly or two, flying alongside him. While some of these seemingly pleasant Starlies and Bidoofs seemed to disagree with his presence on the road, he was able to quite easily take care of them with his higher-leveled Chimchar, who seemed to enjoy the battles, as it was getting some fresh air. Rather than allowing the small monkey to be cooped up in his Pokeball for most of the time, he allowed the Chimchar to look out from his shoulder, where it would stay perched whenever it was not battling a Pokemon.

Finally, the boy, along with his Chimchar, reached Sandgem Town. He then looked up to see Rowan, and, next to him, the same hasty boy that he had wanted to talk to earlier, and walks up to them. The blond boy looked as though he was ready to run any second, as the Professor seemed to intimidate him, for reasons unknown to Kouki. Of course, these were probably only silly reasons. Rowan then, in his scary, yet internally kind manner, then saw the beret-clad boy, and smiled.

Rowan then finished, as though he had been talking to the hasty boy the whole time, "...Now I'll go in and get you two each a Pokedex, and I'll get Kouki his Poketch..." He then walked off, in the same aggressive manner that had scared so many trainers away, and Jun was no exception. Kouki then turned to Jun and looked at him, for just a moment.

What he saw was...amusing, in a way. Jun was _already_ beginning to run away. That boy was certainly very fast...but whether it was over the fact that he merely could not stand Rowan's seemingly frightening presence any longer, or whether it was something else, as his face, on the split-second that his eyes had made contact with Kouki's, immediately flushed. Kouki privately noticed this, but, he chose to ignore it, even questioning whether it was his own imagination.

Rowan then emerged from his lab, holding a device in each hand. He then looks around for a second, and mutters, "...Where did that boy go? I was only inside for a minute...". He then regains his composure and then says, "Well, in any case, Kouki, here is a Pokedex. It's a Pokemon encyclopedia that can store data on...well, all the Pokemon that you'll encounter. Take it. It'll do you good. Oh, and take this Poketch, it's a watch with a lot of good features for Pokemon trainers...", as he exchanges the Pokedex in his left hand with a watch and hands him both technological objects.

Kouki, then feeling a bit awkward, thought to himself, _"...But how did he know I was going to go on a journey?" _He then decided to disregard this, and took both the electronic encyclopedia-type device and the watch from his hand, pocketing the Pokedex and equipping the watch on his right wrist. Kouki noticed that his Poketch hardly fit, as he had such slender wrists...though this was hardly a problem, as he could always grow into it. He then spoke up and said, "Ah, thank you, Professor."

Rowan then replied, "...Dawn shall be here shortly. She'll teach you how to catch Pokemon. Feel free to walk around town while you wait. I'd let you wait in the lab, but I'm in the middle of some important research, and I'd rather not be...interrupted...", as he walked inside, his intimidating aura so thick that one could cut it with a knife.

Kouki then sighed, and settled down near the Pokemon Center of the town. He then looked out...he was just a normal trainer, now. While not every trainer had all the technological devices he had, it was all the same. He was just the same as each of them all...he knew of the badge challenge, and he knew, in his mind, that he would follow that path, rather than that of questing around and participating in Pokemon Contests, which seemed to be quite popular these days...he knew, but...

The raven-haired boy was having difficulty shaking the dream from his head. Sure, it was just a dream. Sure, something like that would _never_...or would it? It'd boggled his mind...why did he think about something like that? It was only a dream...only...a...dr—

Suddenly, three figures appeared, for a split-second, circling around the boy. The boy then whipped out his Pokedex...however...it could not get an entry for any of them...? He then looked around him, and the mythical figures were gone. The Pokedex couldn't recognize them, no one else had evidently saw them. However, Kouki knew what they were...they were from—

"KOUKI! THERE YOU ARE!"

* * *

::: Author's Note :::

This chapter ends on a small cliffie! (Even though it's obviously Dawn.) The next chapter will probably follow Jun a lot more. And, to all of the reviewers, thank you! Your reviews keep me going!

To be honest, this chapter was a little hard for me to write...there was a lot of plot that I had to go into, so I couldn't get as much character-development in. Argh. Sorry if it came out as robotic or anything.


	6. Phase 05: In Which a Path is Narrowed

**Phase 05: In Which a Path is Narrowed**

...Indeed, Kouki had been surprised when Hikari had appeared, nearly making him fall to the ground. Not that this sort of behavior wasn't typical of the girl, but she had just...taken him by surprise, that's all. He didn't know. He didn't know that the girl knew much more than her happy-go-lucky nature let on. He didn't know that she knew about that one time when he accidentally shattered one of Rowan's laboratory windows in an accident. He didn't know that she knew...a lot of things.

In many ways, the girl was the most intuitive of the three. While she seemed to be a bit of an airhead, and Kouki had given himself a headache explaining some of the most basic things involving Pokemon Research to her (thankfully, Rowan took upon himself to finish this task), she seemed to have...a certain..._knack_...for telling the emotions of others.

And another thing that he didn't know...the girl, along with the blond-haired boy tucked away in a corner of his heart, perhaps in hope he would forget, or be distracted from...the three of them, in a way, shared the same vision, although...different. The same premonition haunted each of the three, the same, almost-scary premonition that could almost be mistaken for reality...

It was, however, very different in the eyes of the three of them. Kouki was torn from everything, put in a situation in which if he did one thing wrong, he would lose...everything. Hikari, along with Jun, however, were inside the void, inside of the labyrinth that was all the boy's emotions juxtaposed into an abysmal maze, in which there was no way out.

The girl...was merely lost in a maze. She was in the same position as many others, although she was located more towards the center than many others had the chance to be. Already some had been engulfed in the void, and were no longer...Hikari knew she could get through the puzzle, but she just didn't know..._how_...

The blond-haired boy, however, seemed to have it much worse off. He would be the very last to go, the very last part of Kouki's being to be...lost. No matter what, despite the amount of attempts the boy would have made to escape, it was absolutely impossible. He had been chained and bandaged from head to foot, restraining his natural impulse, which was to run. The boy had no choice. And yet...he didn't know if he would run even if he was free. In the world of the dream, no one seemed to know right from wrong or think coherent thoughts...

Which is why the three were glad, that bad dreams were...that, and only that. Bad dreams. No dark predictions of them dying, splattered with blood, or images in their minds of them being devoured by locusts...no, that would never occur to any of them that any of those things would actually happen, they were dreams, and just that. A dream...a dream that...meant _nothing._

It was an obvious lie, but, as long as the three believed it, for now, it was for the best.

But...things were due to change. What was the dream, anyways? Was it an inherently _good_ or _evil_ dream? Why did it exist, and why, oh why, did it choose to manifest itself in the eyes of those three children? While others existed in the void, they hadn't had the dream, they couldn't see the illusions, and they hadn't gone through any of the repercussions...It was different for these children. But...why? _Why?_

In any case, Hikari...had also seen the illusion. She kept this secret inside her, and pretended...as though she'd never seen it. But, somewhere in her mind, it startled, even frightened her. She didn't want to do anything to disturb the state between the three of them. She wanted them to remain friends forever. Even without this dream to haunt her, she was already worried enough...worried that the two of them would leave her behind. She didn't want to be forgotten...no matter what happened between the three of them, what she really, _really_, wanted...it was for the three of them to be the best friends ever.

Best friends...ever since they were young, that's what the three of them could be described as. Whether it was the way that they would always chuckle when Jun would run too fast and end up tripping and falling (so long as he was never hurt), or the way that the three of them...always seemed to be around each other; the three had been inseparable since the day they were young children. Sure, they were going their own separate ways now, but...even then, it was sure they would run into each other a lot still, despite the fact that the three were out for their own reasons.

But still...it ate the girl up inside. This was what she _wanted_. She didn't want the journey to bring anyone apart. And yet...she couldn't deny it. She knew it was almost impossible, she knew of the unspoken feelings between her two best friends, merely by _intuition_...and she knew it was a bad idea...but, it couldn't be denied. Somewhere in her heart, she had feelings for the beret-clad boy.

She _knew_ it was wrong, and she knew she had no chance of impeding their feelings. But, feelings could always change, and that was what she continually told herself. So that she could go on...but, there never seemed to be any change between what went on between the two boys. They did argue, but, five to ten minutes later, the argument would be forgotten, no longer relevant.

This was her worst fear. The girl feared that she would tear apart all of her friends. If only it wasn't for her feelings. She almost wished they would be _gone_ one day, that she would go back to feeling for Kouki as just a friend...but, at the same time, she wanted to delve deeper. Her body and mind told her to stop, but her heart wanted...what it wanted.

Even if it was out of reach.

Hikari then finished showing Kouki all there was to know about being a trainer, and all of the aspects, despite the fact that Kouki was very well-informed of these goings-on, and knew how to do all of what she was describing to him, whether it was battling, or catching a Pokemon. Kouki...knew, yet he didn't mind listening and refreshing himself with the knowledge. Hikari seemed pretty intent to talk, anyways, and hardly asked for the boy to come up with anything to talk about. This was, in a way, good for Kouki, as it gave him time to recoil from his vision.

However, after a while, the boy finally spoke up.

"Hikari...thanks. So, where should I go from here? I want to do research, yet I also want to train, too...that'll help my research right now..."

Hikari then responded, "I know, why not take the Gym challenge? There's bound to be _lots_ of parties that only people with badges can go to! And, if you get all eight of the badges, then you'll be almost famous! What could be better than that?"

Kouki sighed. He should have expected a reply like this...something about fame and fortune, something that would lead to a lot of parties, and living the high life...in his opinion, all of that was silly. Kouki loved to work with Pokemon, just as a lot of people did. He liked to let them battle (except for when they would get hurt), and he liked to let them relax and do as they pleased. He, along with many, found their presence to be...relaxing. And yet, there was so much he could learn from them!

...But, before Kouki could go on a rant about how knowledge overpowers any sort of frivolous fame or fortune, Hikari continued, "...and, if you get badges, then you'll be able to keep in touch with Jun! Wouldn't that be nice?", with an appropriate smile. Whether this was to test his reaction, or whether this was to encourage him, even Hikari wasn't sure.

Kouki was then silent. He thought of Jun, thought of the boy who was almost his rival in a sense, yet, at the same time, his best friend, along with Hikari, but _different_ from Hikari...when, as things would be with most _normal_ boys, Hikari and Jun would most certainly have switched roles. He tried to convince himself that this _was_ so, that there was nothing obviously different about him.

He was straight...He liked women. Women were nice to talk to, or to have tea with, and were most certainly, in his mind, very beautiful...yet, at the same time, he felt that about many things, too. Being an independent researcher, he could tell inner and outer beauty of a lot of things.

He _was_ straight...right? He would keep trying to shake the feeling, but each time it would come back, even if not right away...and it would be stronger...if this didn't stop, he might overflow after a while, and then...he would...he...didn't _know_. He didn't know what would happen if one day, the feelings just..._overpowered_ him...

He didn't want to think about what could happen. It could tear the three of them apart.

On the other hand...No, that would _never_ happen.

He _knew_ that his dreams were an impossibility. Why did he keep having them? He was a perfectly normal, _straight_ boy...so why did these dreams continue to haunt his very being? Why did he continue to strive for...well, the impossible? Why? He couldn't _like_ the boy; that wasn't the proper kind of behavior at all! He needed to avoid him, to _rid_ himself of the feeling!

...And yet, something inside him _knew_ that he would be taking the badge challenge.

Hikari notices Kouki's silence, and then remarks, with a slightly evil-looking smirk on her face, "So you are gonna take the league challenge, I take it...Good luck!"

She then smiled, waved, and, in a flash of her blunette head, turned around and ran back to Rowan's lab, ready to try and attempt research, end up giving up, and then, in turn, either train her Pokemon so that she could win contests, or, of course crash a party. Parties seemed to always turn up, regardless of where Hikari went.

...In any case, Kouki walked onto his newfound path, unaware of what was _really_ in store for him. At least...not yet.

**END OF CHAPPY 5 YAY! It's finally done!**

**:: Author's Note ::**

**Yeah, I know, I made Hikari seem a bit...Mary-sueish in this chapter. So sue me. But, you already **_**know**_** what pairing this is gonna end with, I'm not gonna pull a curveball on you and be like 'str8 paring lawl flled u k?'**

**Actually, she makes for an...interesting plot device, in any case.**

**AND SORRY JUN DIDN'T GET STRANGLED IN THIS CHAPTER K? THERE WAS JUST NO SPACE FOR IT. SORRY SORRY SORRY. :'D**

**Anyways, next chapter is Jubilife City...I think. I get to write about clowns!**

**And thanks for the review. Yes, Rowan is scary...but it's a loving form of scariness, really. Keep reviewing if you like, people!**


	7. Phase 06: The Perfect Combination

**Phase 06: The Perfect Combination...**

Three trainers. Three different goals. Three extremely different personalities. The list...it could go on and on. Nevertheless, the three were, and had been, connected since birth. Nothing of any sort could break such a connection that the three of them had. Not even...legends. Not even the worst of cataclysms could ever separate them.

_Even on the journeys, and even whilst they were separated from one another, they would always be thinking of each other. Close friendships like this were not taken lightly in the hearts of these three..._

_Of course, one's feelings could easily override this, but...what were the odds of that ever happening?_

It was a sunny day on Route 202. The breeze moved gently through the tall grass, but, to the trainers on the route, the calm nature of the route wasn't what they noticed about the route, or what they cared about. To them? This route was a place...for battle!

Now, there was never any all-out war on this route. The trainers were merely a bunch of young children who wanted to have a friendly skirmish. It didn't _really_ matter who won and who lost, so long as both sides enjoyed themselves. However...

Every so often, there would be a group of people, or perhaps, a single trainer, a trainer that would send every youngster on the route spiraling down into defeat. Eventually, they would surrender, and...They would lose. Of course, the trainers wanted to be able to overcome this, but, being trainers who never really...traveled any, it was hard for them to train so that they could overcome those strong ones. And, when a trainer chose to leave the route, they never returned.

Bad luck seemed to have struck this route. Bad luck in the name of a team...Team Galactic. No one on the route had ever even _heard_ the name before, but, nevertheless, it was a name that none of those poor trainers would ever forget.

The last remaining Trainer with healthy Pokemon on the route watched, in horror, as their poor Starly was swiftly eliminated, with a Pokemon...that, to be frank, the trainer hadn't even seen before. In one hit, it was done, and the trainer was, like all the others, defeated. The green-haired woman opposing the child then sighed, and recalled her Pokemon, as though she was disappointed with all these children for something.

This woman then walked on, and met up with a man, who also shared the forest-green hairdo that seemed to be all the rage. Their clothes looked the same, as well...it seemed almost as though it was an _outfit_ of some sort; although it was a horribly tacky one. Whatever the case was, the two certainly seemed to know each other, yet they talked in an almost cold demeanor.

The man spoke up and said, "Nope, none of the trainers here have it. Shame, really, they live so close...any one of them could have walked to Verity in thirty minutes and gotten it, really." He seemed rather annoyed. What was it that any of the children could have gotten, anyways?

With a seemingly characteristic smirk on her face, the woman merely replied, "Keep in mind, though, that these children...they're still _children_. They haven't even seen the world yet. Why would the boss think that any one of them has the Red Gyarados?"

The children exchanged a look. _Red Gyarados?_ None of them had an idea of what the woman spoke of, and yet, they all seemed to know that the duo was...rather _evil_. They then huddled together and eyed the duo, hoping that they would send a message with their eyes for the two of them to leave and not come back. The trainers didn't _want_ their route to be dominated, and turned into a battleground...

As though he sensed this, the male then turned and said, "We're Team Galactic. And you don't have to worry about our presence, at least...not _yet_." He then threw a rose characteristically out towards the children, yet not aimed at any of them, and then, hand-in-hand with the female grunt, hurried off towards Jubilife, leaving the children with their exhausted Pokemon.

_That was all. The children then cleaned up and went to get their Pokemon healed. Some were worried about the event, but the others merely hid their concerns, and convinced themselves that nothing was wrong. Once again, this was merely a lie, a lie meant to make everyone feel better. Was this sort of thing always so popular among children? Lies weren't going to get any of these children anywhere, and they never helped the children along with anything they did._

_Nevertheless...they recovered. And soon after, another trainer followed through. This trainer was...another strong one, but he was going so quickly that his pokemon nearly fainted. The blond boy pressed through and got through the route, his lime-green scarf swishing gently in the wind as he accomplished this goal. One could even see where the boy had run, as he didn't seem to care what he did to the earth beneath him..._

Later, another boy then set out on the route. This one was clearly...more reserved, in a sense. He was also, well, _not_ a member of a criminal orginazation. As a matter of fact, one could hardly describe this boy as being 'evil' at all, though he did have a rather strange way about him. Maybe that was his strange beret? Nowadays, berets were almost never worn. The boy then marched on, defeating trainer after trainer with his Chimchar, much like how those before him just had.

Eventually, this boy had defeated all of the trainers on the route. He then looked around, seeing that there was nobody else to have a friendly skirmish with, and then remarked to the last trainer on the route, "Has anyone..._else_ been through this route lately?"

The trainer then thought back. While _he_ had only seen the previous two who walked on the route walk away, he was there when yet _another_ trainer defeated him. Why were so many strong trainers walking on this route today? The boy then sighed and said, "Well, there _were_ those two weird green-headed guys...but, I didn't get to battle them. I battled some kid with a green scarf. He kept rushing around, and barely battled any of us. He kept saying stuff like, 'I've gotta beat Kouki!' It was...weird. Made me wonder who Kouki was, at least..."

Kouki then remembered. That kid, Jun, he wanted to be the _strongest_. But to him, it seemed more like Jun wanted to be the fastest...the fastest person to ever become a Pokemon trainer. Averting himself from the blush that appeared momentarily on his cheeks, he thought to himself, "_That idiot..._".

However, he must have said that aloud, as the youngster then spoke up and said, "M-me? I'm an...idiot?" He then thought pensively for a second, though no one would take him seriously, considering his height, and continued, "What's that?"

Kouki, now feeling outright awkward, then merely replied with, "It's nothing, but, I have to go onto Jubilife now, okay?" With a smile, he walked off from the youngster, now finally having surpassed all of the obstacles, and finally being able to reach his first destination: Jubilife City.

Walking through the rather bland-looking stone gate, Kouki took a chance to look around the town for a bit. It had already started to darken in the sky, as the journey up that silly path, along with everything else that had happened, had basically taken up all of the day. The sky was now situated at a beautiful twilight; one could see the stars, but also the vivid orange sunset. It was...in a way, beautiful. What could possibly happen to keep Kouki from enjoying this...?

"...Come one, come all! Come to the town center to receive a Poketch application, completely **free** of charge! All you have to do is come down to town, and answer a simple question! It's completely foolproof!" resounded shrilly from the distance. Kouki merely shuddered, his peaceful state being entirely disrupted.

However, he _did_ remember that, as of right now, at least, all his measly Poketch could do was to tell the time. For him, it was nothing more than a simple wristwatch. However, with apps, as Hikari would continually gush about, it would turn from a useless, gaudy wristwatch into a mini PDA. Of course, Kouki was smart enough to get it...right?

Kouki then decided to go and give it a try. He didn't think about who'd be there, or possibly about the possibility that he wouldn't be able to receive this prize...no. To him, he just wanted the little piece of technology that would make his watch just a little less crappy. So, he didn't quite expect to see..._him_...there.

"...Jun...?"

The blonde-haired boy then looked up, then down, then, his face turned as red as a cherry, finally realizing just who was behind him. However, he hid it, and with a panicked look on his face, said, "...I-I-I can do it! I'm not having a-any difficulty guessing the q-question that the clown is giving me! No, not me! Definitely not me! I'm fine!!"

Jun then looked back down again, and pointed to the left clown. It appeared...that the clowns were switching around, and that the one of them that had the Poketch application was the one that the player would have to point to. And, quite obviously, Jun was having absolutely no luck with it; while the boy could run fast, the rest of his body, including his eyes (along with his brain) was often shifted into low gear. As Kouki looked upon this, before the clowns could say or do anything, Kouki pointed to the middle one.

The clown said, in a screechy voice, "Oh! Right you are! Can I see your Poketch for a second?" While Kouki did think that it was a bit suspicious, he did lend his gaudy wristwatch over to the man. The man then pressed a few buttons, and appeared to place something in it, but Kouki just couldn't seem to see what it was. Hopefully, it wouldn't break the clock, as, despite the fact that the watch was gaudy, it was a rather good timepiece. The clown then handed back the Poketch and said, "Okay, who's next?"

Jun then stepped up, and said, "I'd like to go! Yeah! This is _definitely_ the first time I've done this! Of course I haven't been trying to get the same Poketch app for nearly _all_ day! That's just _insanity_, isn't it?" With a nervous laugh, he then continued, "Please, let me try your game!"

The clowns then sighed, as though they were sick of the blonde's constant pestering, yet, in a way, they felt like humoring him, so instead of ushering him slowly away, they decided, for the umpteenth time that day, to shuffle themselves again. It must have been programmed into their skin, or something...were they even _real_ clowns? Or were they just...weird, robotic things? But, Kouki noticed something...

Kouki then whispered, "Hey...Jun...it'll always be the middle clown. Hadn't you thought of picking the middle one?"

Jun then froze for a minute. This might just be Kouki playing a rather stupid trick on him. Or, perhaps...he was trying to do something nice...? For him? He certainly wasn't used to it, yet, for some reason, he felt that Kouki's advice was correct, and pointed to the middle clown, saying, "It's you!"

The clown then replied shrilly, in the exact same manner, with the exact same words as it did when Kouki had successfully won. Maybe they _were_ robots...

But, then, the two boys walked away. It was now nightfall, and the orange color in the sky had been replaced by a deep blue, almost black in its color, letting an occasional violet cloud show through the sky, albeit, it was mostly clear. The stars then dotted the starscape, and it was beautiful. Just, simply gorgeous...However...

...Jun couldn't get his eyes off of Kouki. They were _entranced_, even if not for very long, due to the boy's rather abysmal attention span...and, yet, while he wanted to run, and go far, far away, he felt as though he'd be just fine by his side, _from now on_...

He then shook the thought from his head. He knew it would never, ever happen, so...why? Why did he go through that? Why was he constantly tormented by silly, obnoxious feelings? Why didn't they ever go away? Why were they for a boy, anyways? Why? Just, _why_?

Kouki then spoke up, "Jun, you look tired. Want to stay at the Pokemon Center tonight? It's free, though I haven't an idea as to why they have free lodging..."

Before Jun could even say anything, Kouki then, much in Jun's fashion, attempted to grab his wrist, and pull him to the Pokemon Center. However, instead, he grabbed his..._scarf_...this time, not strangling him, but pulling him down with him...

Both blushes, had it been daylight, would have probably been noticed, but, at that point...both of the boys had been very, very thankful for the moonlight.

They then walked off, to get a good night's rest. Or, at least they thought so..**  
**

* * *

**Author's Note OMGOMGOMGOMG OMGGGGGG Dx**

**SORRY I HAVEN'T UPDATED IN LIKE FOOOOOREVER. OMG I'M SO SORRY. I've been busy with school and stuff.**

**BUT THAT'S NO REAL EXCUSE. (That being said, the fanfic might not be updated every week now, because of school. Classes are crazy hard this year, and I have to actually put effort in right about now, because it actually matters...)**

**As apology, what should I do? Feel free to leave a comment!**

**AND SOWWY. (I ALSO ABUSE ELLIPSES TOO MUCH. I KNOW. SORRY PEOPLES.)**


	8. Phase 07: From Infancy to Adulthood

Phase 07: From Infancy to Adulthood...

* * *

No one did really know why the Pokemon Center seemed to provide free lodging for trainers, but they certainly weren't ones to complain. While not exactly a five-star hotel by any means, it was still preferable (and, of course, safer) when compared to the ominous outdoors. But, trainers such as Kouki and Jun were, quite obviously, _used_ to camping outdoors. So, in their eyes, the Pokemon Center was quite a luxury.

Hikari often made fun of the two for having no real distinction for high class; however, the two boys were, after all, only 10 years old. While both Kouki and Jun were old enough to start a journey; being seen as adults in the eyes of the law, neither Jun nor Kouki seemed to...well, be adults. Both still had childish distinctions, and both still weren't really thinking about the future at all-they were merely concerned with the present, and with leveling up their pokemon and defeating the next trainer that they'd see on the road.

They hadn't even faced Roark yet; both trainers seemed to have no idea as to the real strength of some of their upcoming opponents.

Then again, Hikari_really_ wasn't one to talk, as she was immature herself at many times. But, between Hikari, Kouki, and Kun, Jun was by and far the most childish of the trio. Often, the boy miscalculated or seemed to misunderstand most people. He was the silliest of the three, and also, most likely, the least intelligent.

But, even still...

* * *

Back at Rowan's lab, Hikari sighed. She just...hadn't that much of a passion for the work that she was doing. It was really, really, just...not _her_ thing. Actually, as she recalled, the role had been promised to Kouki, but...well, things didn't always seem to work out. And, in the end, _she_ ended up being entrusted to work alongside the Professor.

However, perhaps Rowan knew as well as Hikari that she fit the role of a professor's assistant like how a star-shaped block fits into a circle-shaped hole; she didn't have to work nearly as long as the other two nondescript assistants, both of whom she didn't really care for, and as a result had spoken to about two times total, and she often got less done than these two assistants. However, the Professor didn't seem to mind so much, and often would have lighthearted conversations with Hikari over sweetened tea and candies; once Hikari was used to his scary demeanor, Professor Rowan was really quite a nice man. The two had even had a particularly interesting conversation about Kouki and Jun...

Hikari...she knew. She knew the one real reason that she was taking this role as the professor's assistant, a role that was about as interesting to her as watching plants grow. It would've, for Hikari, been even less healthy for her to go around the world, and continually be reminded of Kouki and Jun and all of the drama that surrounded them, though a sizeable portion of this drama was merely in Hikari's head. Hikari was just...worried about her heart.

Although, in hindsight, Hikari would realize that a journey was what she truly needed to become a cultured, well-educated, adjusted member of society, instead of merely her allusive life of wanting to follow high-fashion...If anything, Hikari would fit most as a Coordinator, but, even so, there was also a larger part of her that wanted to train, and challenge Gym Leaders, although she generally disliked such things. Hikari wasn't really sure at all what she wanted to do. So, perhaps this job did serve a decent role for Hikari-it was time for her to think about what it was she really wanted in life.

More than anything, she would squeal more and more at the thought of traveling alongside Kouki. It seemed to be her ultimate goal...but, when she truly thought about it, there wasn't really...much..._substance_ beyond the fluff. She wanted to be with Kouki, she wanted it just...oh, _so much_. But, hypothetically, if she were to be beside Kouki, then what would she do? And, how could she face Jun? If Hikari were to do that, then there would be some _real_ drama, and the last thing Hikari wanted was to split apart from her two friends, who she had known since...well, infancy.

Hikari couldn't quite remember the days of her infancy, but she just knew. She even recalled a brief glimpse of Jun's father, who was also just as hasty, and, in a way, as childish as his own son, though he certainly looked mature. Kouki's father, on the other hand, didn't come up_anywhere_ in Hikari's memory; Hikari didn't even recall seeing him in any pictures in their house, and the topic seemed to be somewhat shaky with Kouki. Hikari wanted to learn what exactly had happened, because...she just...had a bit of a funny feeling about it. But, then again, Hikari hadn't ever seen her father either, though this was merely due to the fact that he was, according to her mother, a "deadbeat bastard". And Hikari knew that her mother wasn't the type to have a dirty mouth, so...

... Maybe Hikari was just thinking too much. This job made her do that, as all she did, particularly when listening to long research lectures by other professors, would eventually cause her to tune out and listen to her own thoughts. They were starting to drive her somewhat crazy...she wondered, what were Kouki and Jun doing...?

* * *

Jun sighed; his neck, especially after the events that had happened recently, _never_ seemed like it would return to normal. Jun's destiny seemed like it would be forever ruled by his unruly, vivid-green wool scarf. But, Jun himself still had much training to do...he wondered if he would even be able to overcome Roark with just a Piplup and a Starly...he wondered so many things. He often thought about Kouki, and about Hikari...well, more about Kouki. But...oh, it was dinnertime! Jun didn't care how bad the Pokemon Center food was, he just had the urge to eat, as he'd hardly eaten a meal that was anything close to being proper nutrition for a 10-year-old.

But, Jun didn't know just _quite_ what would be awaiting him at dinnertime...

...And, that was a certain beret-clad boy that just so happened to dominate Jun's thoughts. Not only that, but...crap. Where had all the free tables gone? The only table in this particular Pokemon Center that wasn't completely full just so happened to be Kouki...Even though Jun was embarrassed, he hadn't much choice; he sat down in the seat opposite Kouki...

And, perhaps it was because Jun was quite the hyperactive child by nature, but, immediately, Jun sparked a conversation...

"Kouki, Kouki! So, what Pokemon have you caught so far? How's your Chimchar? How's everything else?"

Kouki then sighed; he was well-adjusted to his friend's hastiness, though it seemed to almost always catch him by surprise for a second. But, moreso than that, the thought of...well, earlier...he could've almost kissed-but, those thoughts weren't _good_ thoughts, though. Even though, oddly, they pretty much were good-but, they _weren't_. Kouki blocked the thoughts from his mind, with all his effort, and tried to refocus himself. However, Jun had been so busy tapping impatiently at the table in the Pokemon Center, waiting for the mediocre meal that was awaiting him.

Jun then added, "You know, if our tax dollars are paying for these Pokemon Centers, then why do we even have to wait so long for our food? Shouldn't the Pokemon Centers just have fast food, anyways? I want my food, damnit!"

...Crap, Jun was already starting to become restless. Kouki had to do something,_anything_-

But then it occurred to Kouki that he never really answered any of Jun's questions...

Kouki then replied, "Hey, Jun, don't worry about it. If the food fills you, it's pretty much worth being free even if you have to wait a few minutes, and I really doubt it'll be such a long wait. Besides, I would think that the Joy here is at least a fairly decent cook, so...And, while I was on the way here, I ended up capturing both a Starly and a Bidoof...If you're wondering, Chimchar is doing just fine. You...don't need to ask me four...wait, that was five, I think...yeah. You don't need to ask me five questions all at once You can just ask me one, next time, okay?"

Jun then frowned, and said, "But, if you're so smart, should it matter really how many questions I ask at once? What if I want to ask more than one? What if-"

But, the local Nurse Joy, who smiled and stated, "Excuse me, you two, but your food will be ready in a moment, cut off Jun. "Today, we'll be serving chicken and fried potatoes, and your dessert will be ice cream sundaes, which you can make for yourself when the sundae bar is open, alright?" Before either boy could confirm her statement, Nurse Joy rushed off into another direction, so as to inform more people as to what food was being served at the Center that night.

However, the Pokemon Center must have had faster service than Jun expected, for less than a minute later, a Chansey wheeling around a food cart appeared and delivered their food, and...Several minutes passed while the two boys ate in silence; even Jun was contemplative, considering the earlier..._happening_.

Suddenly, Jun spoke up, "Hey, Kouki! I wanna see just how strong your team really is! Can I battle you tonight? Please, please please? After dessert?"

Kouki smiled; Jun's restlessness, while sometimes quite annoying, was rather cute, and replied, "Well, it's kinda late, but...oh, why not? Just don't expect me to go easy on you, 'kay?"

Jun smirked and said, "Just you wait, you'll have no idea what even _hit_ you! Don't think I'm just a total soft-ooh, the sundae bar is open!" Before Kouki could even do anything, Jun had veered off, mesmerized by the sundaes, despite the fact that there were still the remains of some chicken on his plate...although, his plate was mostly empty. Kouki could never quite understand just how Jun was able to eat so fast...but then, Jun had already returned with an ice cream sundae, complete with...wait. Jun wanted to be first to the sundae bar...to make sure he'd gotten a cherry.

But, of course, this wasn't really necessary, as when Jun got there, he took about seven of eight of them, and piled them up onto his sundae...Kouki couldn't even see the ice cream at all in it, it was just a mix of sickeningly-sweet syrup, chocolate drops, freshly whipped cream, multicolored sprinkles of various textures, and, of course, the unneeded cherries. Kouki sighed; in many ways, Jun was just like a young child.

Of course, that wasn't to say that Kouki didn't enjoy ice cream. Kouki liked his ice cream, but he really just liked a little bit of whipped cream, and maybe a few sprinkles. However, Kouki was imperative on one thing being in his sundaes, if not anything else, and that was the finishing touch of there being...a cherry on top.

However, as Kouki walked over to the sundae bar, to his displeasure, he noticed...all of the cherries were gone. Kouki sighed; if it weren't for a certain golden-haired cherry hog, he would've probably still been able to get a cherry to place atop his ideal sundae. But, this was not so...so Kouki got some whipped cream and placed it atop his ice cream, and then wandered back to his seat.

Somehow, Jun only had...three-no, it was two now-cherries left. In addition, most of the ingredients that Jun had piled onto his gigantic pile of ingredients and sugar seemed to have also vanished, into the bottomless pit that one could only call Jun's stomach. But, there were still two cherries left, and Kouki...

Typically, it was against Kouki's better judgment to do such a thing, but Kouki needed that _one_ cherry. And, one just so _happened_ to not be buried in gobs of whipped cream and chocolate. So, when Jun was too busy devouring the other side of the sundae, Kouki reached forward...and nabbed the cherry! Kouki then slowly recoiled, but...he was a split-second too late.

Jun spoke slowly, which meant...he never spoke slowly. Uh-oh...

"...Kouki? Is that..._my_...cherry?"

Kouki, paralyzed for fear for just one second even though the whole situation was just terribly silly, outlandish, and unusually childish to begin with, then stuffed the cherry in his mouth and spoke.

"Um. Whatcha talkin' bout? I've never seen any cherry."

Jun then swiftly replied, "Don't lie! I _saw_ you take it from my sundae and eat it! And that was most definitely _my_ cherry!"

Kouki then smirked, and responded, "Oh? Then Jun, why don't you come over here and get the cherry back, if you really want it so badly, hmm..?"

Jun then blushed, as a thought of him kissing Kouki quite deeply, in a tongue-twisting war over a cherry that was long-ago swallowed began to cross his mind. But, before Kouki could notice, Jun buried his face back into the ice cream sundae and began to eat again in record speed. Once Jun was finished, he then rushed out of his chair, perhaps to go...practice before his battle with Kouki?

Kouki sighed, as he finished his ice cream sundae. At least Jun was eager to train, but wouldn't eating that terribly unhealthy food so fast just result in some sort of stomachache...?

End of phase 08!

* * *

**...oh, wow. I totally like...have not been having the best year. Oh, boo me.**

**Thanks The Geek in Da Pink, Skhe, Darkflame414, Kirly, Lylilu, and Harmony283 for reviewing!**

**And...well, I'll try to update this at least once every month, or else you can feel free to lynch me, boo.**

**I might go back and edit some of the earlier chapters, too...**


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